FATIGUE: A PREVALENT AND PERSISTENT SYMPTOM IN EARLY RHEUMATOID ATHRITIS

Background: Fatigue is associated with poor quality of life in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The exact burden of fatigue in RA is uncertain. Evidence shows that fatigue may persist, even in people with well-controlled inflammatory disease. However, this is largely based on cross sectional data, and data from people with long standing or refractory disease. This study aims to examine the nature of fatigue in early RA. Objectives: Describe the prevalence of fatigue and longitudinal course of fatigue Investigate heterogeneity in the course of fatigue and identify risk factors associated with fatigue heterogeneity Methods: Data were from the early Rheumatoid Arthritis Network (ERAN), an inception cohort of people with a disease duration of